Romanian Rugby

[Croket66]

Six transfers at Baia Mare:
- prop Ionut Stan, a young player who has learned his rugby at Calvisano in Italy
- prop Catalin Pastrama (Farul Constanta) - I think this is a good transfer, he has not played much last season but he did well every time
- Tongan centre Nau Sioeli (18 caps for Tonga according to the club, I found nothing about him, there is an old Tongan scrum half with the same name)
- NZ wing/fullback Keeghan Sefton (Souths)
- Australian scrum half Nigel Genia (has played for Reds A in the PRC and once for the senior Reds team, he is the brother of the famous Will Genia)
- Australian centre John Luatua (found nothing about him)

Fullback Luke Samoa has not joined the squad yet (he is in talks with CSM Bucuresti) and Baia Mare threaten to suspend him if he refuses to do so.

Edit: did not notice that amz has already posted this

Tongan centre Nau Sioeli (18 caps for Tonga according to the club)
Really surprising, I found nothing about him, I even watched all capped tongan players since 2008 on espnscrum stats and I never seen this name.
BTW, I watched Up Country Lions squad for the past season (this team from Sri Lanka disapeared this season) and foreign players were Joketani Raikabula and Peniasi Tokacece from Fiji, Tevita Taufui from Tonga (uncapped) and Pera Gibbs from NZ.

As for John Luatua, his real name is John Leiataua
https://www.google.fr/search?q=John+Leiataua+westcombe
He played for Melbourne Storm U20 and Sidney Roosters Academy in Rugby League, and for Watsonians F.C in Scotland past season and joined Westcombe Park this summer. He also played for Parramatta Two Blues in the Australian Shute Shield in 2014

 

[dragos03]

I was just about to post the same thing after digging up the internet. "John Luatua" is actually John Leiataua.

There must be a name confusion regarding the Tongan centre. I guess he really is the Tevita Taufui guy who has played for Up Country Lions. No caps for Tonga (at senior level at least) but he looks like a decent player with several seasons for Manawatu in the ITM Cup. Anyway, what an innacurate article from the local press in Baia Mare. Gonna ask on Facebook for more details.

 

[Croket66]

Keep us informed


Super Liga transfers recap

CSM Baia Mare
Ins : Nigel Genia (scrumhalf, Queensland Reds A), John Leiataua (centre, Westcombe Park), Keegan Shefton (fullback, Souths Rugby), Ionut Stan (prop, Rugby Botticino), Catalin Pastrama (prop, Farul Constanta), Sioeli Nau (centre, Up Country Lions), Florian Rosu (lock, Dinamo), Daniel Cubas (scrumhalf, Dinamo)
Outs : Stephen Hihetah (winger, Doncaster), Csaba Gal (centre, Cluj), Sione Vaiomo'unga (flanker, retired), Daniel Brooks (fly half, free), Samisoni Taufa (scrumhalf, free), Luke Samoa (fullback, CSM Bucuresti)

RCM Timisoara
Ins : Brian Sefanaia (utility back, North Harbour Rays), Daniel Ianus (eightman, Steaua Bucarest), Bogdan Neacsu (front row, Steaua Bucarest), Vladut Zacharie (winger, Barlad)
Outs : Catalin Fercu (fullback, Saracens), Daniel Carpo (eightman, CSM Bucarest), Andrei Mahu (lock, free), Cristi Cornei (hooker, free)

Farul Constanta
Ins : Keith Masima (centre, Eastern Suburbs), Kamil Sobota (prop, U Cluj), Viorel Zamfir (winger, Steaua Bucarest)
Outs : Cristian Petre (lock, retired - headcoach), Catalin Pastrama (prop, Baia Mare)

CSM Bucuresti
Ins : Daniel Carpo (eightman, Timisoara), Luke Samoa (fullback, Baia Mare)
Outs : Alex Gordas (prop, Worcester), Willie Tooala (lock, Bédarrides)

Steaua Bucuresti
Ins :
Outs : Daniel Ianus (eightman, Timisoara), Viorel Zamfir (winger, Farul Constanta), Bogdan Neacsu (front row, Timisoara)

Dinamo Bucuresti
Ins :
Outs : Florian Rosu (lock, Baia Mare), Daniel Cubas (scrumhalf, Baia Mare)

U Cluj
Ins : Csaba Gal (centre, Baia Mare)
Outs : Kamil Sobota (prop, Farul Constanta)

 

[Croket66]

Valentin Poparlan in the Saracens line up to face Blue Bulls :

15. Ben Ransom;
14. Jack Wilson,
13. Tim Streather,
12. Chris Wyles,
11. David Strettle;
10. Charlie Hodgson,
9. Neil de Kock;
1. Richard Barrington,
2. Brett Sharman,
3. Petrus Du Plessis,
4. Jim Hamilton,
5. Valentin Poparlan,
6. Jackson Wray,
7. Kelly Brown ©,
8. Ernst Joubert.

 

[amz]

huh? how this happened?

 

[dragos03]

They are severely depleted due to international call-ups and they have to name a team for the Sunday match in the LV Cup as well. I guess they really had no second rowers because they have also called up a Russian lock from the international network (he will probably be on the bench). This is just an exhibition match but they might offer him a contract if he does well, just like it happened with Fercu.

Edit: regarding the Tongan at Baia Mare, I asked on Facebook but got no reply. He doesn't seem to be Tevita Taufui judging from the pic on the club website http://www.rugbybaiamare.ro/category/echipa/echipa-lotul-de-jucatori/

 

[dragos03]

Timisoara has signed another youngster, Samuel Chria. Popirlan was monitored by Saracens for one year, according to an article on the global network website.

Rumours:
- Horatiu Pungea (Lyon) will move to Oyonnax
- Brive wants young lock Marius Antonescu (Tarbes)
- CSM Bucuresti has signed two Samoan internationals

 

[dragos03]

Here are the transfers of U Cluj

Out:
- prop Kamil Sobota (Farul Constanta)
- prop Silviu Vasiliu (CSM Bucuresti)
- hooker Bogdan Ionescu (retreat)

In:
- centre Csaba Gal (75 caps, Baia Mare)
- Taniela Helfifi (a Tongan I found nothing about)
- Levan Geribajvili (Georgian, no info, maybe wrong name spelling)
- flanker Vlad Toma (Stiinta Petrosani)
- several youngsters and two Serbian players (Istok Totic and Radovan Stanic) are on trial.

The club claims that prop Bogdan Balan (29 caps, Lyon) will also join in June. If true, it would be a great transfer for a small team like Cluj. They will play warm-up matches in March against Baia Mare (twice) and Timisoara.

 

[Croket66]

Here are the transfers of U Cluj

Out:
- prop Kamil Sobota (Farul Constanta)
- prop Silviu Vasiliu (CSM Bucuresti)
- hooker Bogdan Ionescu (retreat)

In:
- centre Csaba Gal (75 caps, Baia Mare)
- Taniela Helfifi (a Tongan I found nothing about)
- Levan Geribajvili (Georgian, no info, maybe wrong name spelling)
- flanker Vlad Toma (Stiinta Petrosani)
- several youngsters and two Serbian players (Istok Totic and Radovan Stanic) are on trial.

The club claims that prop Bogdan Balan (29 caps, Lyon) will also join in June. If true, it would be a great transfer for a small team like Cluj. They will play warm-up matches in March against Baia Mare (twice) and Timisoara.

I think the georgian is spelling Levan Geribashvili or Garibashvili, no info found thought
I also think the tongan name is wrong spelling, even on facebook there are no people called "Helfifi".
Great news if Bogdan Balan signs to Cluj, Vasiliu to CSM is a very good signing for the Bucharest team IMO
Good warm up games for Cluj BTW

 

[dragos03]

I assume the Georgian player is a front rower, he might be Levan Genebashvili, a hooker from Locomotive Tbilisi? The name of the Tongan player must be misspelled as well.

Vasiliu is a solid transfer for CSM, he looked good for Cluj in the league and was very dominant in scrums in the Challenge Cup. CSM is supposed to be a strong title contender this season and they are said to have signed big names, but nothing is official so far.

 

[dragos03]

Romanian squad for the Rugby Europe Championship (new name of the ENC) match in Portugal:

Props
Horatiu Pungea (Lyon)
Constantin Pristavita (Stiinta Baia Mare)
Mihaita Lazar (Castres)
Petru Tamba (Farul Constanta)
Alex Tarus (RCM Timisoara)
Paulica Ion (Perpignan)

Hookers
Andrei Radoi (Ealing Trailfinders)
Otar Turashvili (Farul Constanta)

Locks
Valentin Poparlan (Timisoara)
Marius Sirbe (Blagnac)
Marius Antonescu (Tarbes)

Backrow
Mihai Macovei (Massy)
Viorel Lucaci (CSA Steaua Bucuresti)
Stelian Burcea (RCM Timisoara)
Valentin Ursache (Oyonnax)
Vlad Nistor (Castres)

Scrum half
Florin Surugiu (CSM Olimpia Bucuresti)
Grigoras Diaconescu (CSA Steaua Bucuresti)
Valentin Calafeteanu (RCM Timisoara)

Fly half
Danut Dumbrava (CSA Steaua Bucuresti)
Dorin Maniole (Orthez)

Centres
Csaba Gal (Universitatea Cluj)
Robert Dascalu (CSA Steaua Bucuresti)
Florin Ionita (CSA Steaua Bucuresti)

Wingers
Adrian Apostol (Farul Constanta)
Ionut Dumitru (CSA Steaua Bucuresti)
Ionut Botezatu (CSM Stiinta Baia Mare)

Fullbacks
Catalin Fercu (Saracens)
Sabin Stratila (Farul Constanta)

The big absent is Vlaicu (injured) and the surprises are the inclusion of Stratila and especially veteran Dumbrava (who has not played much even in the Superliga).

 

[dragos03]

Valentin Popirlan and Catalin Fercu at the end of the Saracens vs Bulls match. Popirlan played the entire match and did pretty well, the BT Sport commentators mentioned him among the best Saracens players at the end of the game. This will certainly be a very useful experience for him. Fercu came on in the second half, he will start at fullback in the LV Cup tomorrow.

 

[dragos03]

Looks that Poparlan made a good impression:
http://saracensworld.com/fantastic-poparlan-makes-debut-against-blue-bulls/

Considering that he only started training for one week and only arrived in London one day before the match, Poparlan did very well.

In other news, CSM Bucuresti seems to be the first Superliga team to have an extensive staff like the top Western clubs. Besides head coach Danie de Villiers, they will have former Bordeaux prop Silviu Florea as forwards coach, former coach of the 7s national team Bogdan Muntean as backs coach, a fitness trainer (James de Lacey) who has worked with the NZ 7s in the past and several other coaches (at least 3 more) and specialists. The club will also have a strong marketing department and probably an under 23 team that will play in the second division. I'm curious to see their full list of transfers.

 

[dragos03]

There's the Oaks team vs Portugal:
1. Mihaita Lazar
2. Otar Turashvili
3. Horatiu Pungea
4. Valentin Poparlan
5. Marius Sirbe
6. Viorel Lucaci
7. Valentin Ursache
8. Mihai Macovei
9. Valentin Calafeteanu
10. Danut Dumbrava
11. Ionut Botezatu
12. Csaba Gal
13. Robert Dascalu
14. Ionut Dumitru
15. Dorin Manole

16. Andrei Radoi
17. Constantin Pristavita
18. Alexandru Tarus
19. Marius Antonescu
20. Sandu Burcea
21. Grigoras Diaconescu
22. Florin Ionita
23. Adrian Apostol

This is crazy, veteran Dumbrava will start at 10, Dumitru will also be a starter even if he hasn't played a game for many months and Manole is used as fullback. Catalin Fercu and Paulica Ion are missing.

Romania will play in a new kit that also looks quite strange. The names of all the players who won Romania's first olympic medal in 1924 will be on the back of the shirts.

Transfer rumours:
- Steaua has signed Catalin Toma (Stiinta Petrosani)
- these players are said to have signed for CSM Bucuresti (might be wildly innacurate): Mateo Malupo (Tongan international), Junior Taavili (lock, Randwick), Alfie Paea (prop, Randwick), Andrei Romanov (lock, Moldovan international), Razvan Barbu (fullback, Stiinta Petrosani), Octav Scolobiuc (prop, CSM Suceava).

 

[amz]

Some crazy choices in first XV for sure; what he wants to do, drive and png all the way?

Fercu and Paulica rested or released for clubs?

CSM transfers, if true, looks great. I heard something about some Samoans international players...

 

[dragos03]

Fercu was not released by the Saracens who need him for an LV Cup (!) match...

Perpignan have an important game against Biarritz this weekend, I guess they did not release Paulica Ion.

 

[amz]

Not released? :huh: Perhaps staff was understanding of players situation at clubs and allowed them not to come;

Well, it's a bit worrying with those halves

 

[dragos03]

Calafeteanu - Dumbrava is probably the worst combination I can imagine. Why not use Filip Lazar, Conache, Statulescu or even Dimofte?

As for the players not released, this is annoying. Fercu is missing in order to play in the competition of the reserves. Paulica and the Carcassonne players will be in more important matches but this is still against the rules. It also doesn't seem to happen to other Tier 2 nations, for example there is a Georgian from Perpignan who will play for his national team unlike Paulica.

This wouldn't matter so much in a normal ENC year but every match from now on is part of the practice for the RWC and we need our strongest squad. Looks like our preparation will be to play with weakened squads in this competition and then a test match vs Kenya...

 

[Croket66]

- these players are said to have signed for CSM Bucuresti (might be wildly innacurate): Mateo Malupo (Tongan international), Junior Taavili (lock, Randwick), Alfie Paea (prop, Randwick), Andrei Romanov (lock, Moldovan international), Razvan Barbu (fullback, Stiinta Petrosani), Octav Scolobiuc (prop, CSM Suceava).

Malupo, Taavili, Paea are in Bucharest

 

[dragos03]

Good to see in the photo some of the better foreigners from last season (Cobden, Paila, Tabu), there will be some continuity.

Croket, why didn't Perpignan release Ion? I didn't follow Pro D2 much, is he a key player for the club this season?